Test drilling underway on downtown crossing

The test shaft bring drilled.

Drawing of the planned downtown bridge (Source: kyinbridges.com)

Andy Barber

JEFFERSONVILLE, IN (WAVE) - For those who never thought you'd see it happen, test drilling for the piers of the new downtown crossing is underway. It's one of the major steps that needs to be completed before construction starts.

Walsh Construction and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet are drilling a test shaft 30 feet below the water along Riverside Drive. Once it's complete, they'll put in a giant rebar cylinder fill and fill it with concrete.

The concrete will set similar to what will be used to create the nine piers that will hold up the new downtown crossing. Once the concrete is ready, Walsh and KYTC can test.

Both agencies need to make sure the design of the new bridge can withstand the traffic above and any issues in the water even a possible barge hit.

KYTC Project Manager Andy Barber said it is one of the major things that need to be completed be construction starts this summer.

"It's exciting," said Barber. "This is the first step towards construction and July 1 when we start getting underway, this is a little bit of progress towards that."

The testing should be complete in two weeks. The bridge is expected to open in April 2016.